I tend not to be the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ type. I’m more inclined to imagine how something bad could happen and what needs to be done ahead of time, or in the moment, to avoid it. So, when a beloved elder of the family drove 300 miles round-trip to attend a funeral,…

I went to a pancake supper and an Ash Wednesday service last night at my church. It was very informal. Afterwards, someone sent a text message with a photo and a message. My gratitude today is for shared experiences and for people who share things that are meaningful to them. “‘May you live in the…

Why would anyone be grateful for heartache? Why would anyone be grateful for that sadness that splits the chest open and makes the heart break? Why do we hurt in our physical hearts when our emotional hearts are broken? Isn’t it weird (and sad) that it really is possible to die of a broken heart,…

As much as most of us here in the US of A work, work, work, we’re also lazy in some ways. We work in a way that is often unconscious and without mindful intent. We spend our lives chasing $$$$, and spending $$$$, often to stay alive, sometimes frivolously, at times to help others. “I…

I am grateful for local public radio. There are two public radio stations in my town. Both are at local universities. Both provide very satisfying content. Several of the types of programming I enjoy are: Jazz and Democracy Now on WSNC FM 90.5 Winston Salem State University (including afternoon jazz with Jim Steele, Marian Mcpartland’s Piano…

There is plenty of information on the internet about gratitude. Many people have written about it. There are blogs and best sellers. There are images and charts and calendars and suggestions. Here is an image from VivaLaMe.com giving us “the 101 of Gratitude.” The blog post quoted below includes the topics “What is Gratitude?,” “Benefits…